The all-powerful God should be our shelter as only he can ensure lasting peace for us, writes AJIT KUMAR BISHNOI
let us first understand what these are. A support system is a group of different help we need and get, and shelter is what we get from someone or something needed for our protection. These two are two different necessities for us to be able to exist properly. We need both and one cannot replace another, because both perform different functions. let me give some details of what both of these consist of. Our support system consists of money, close relatives and friends, good health, medical facilities, help from others, work that we do, entertainment of various kinds, hobbies, comforts and various facilities and our homes. Our shelter, unfortunately, may also be one or more of the same, which is not desirable.
WhyIJ We will see as we go into the details of each one of them. Beginning with money, it has limitations though it is very useful. We can have any amount of money but that does not ensure peace of mind. Consequently, we cannot be really happy also. One may not even feel secure even though possessing a lot of money. Close relatives and friends are great as help but they are also insufficient as shelters. They all have limitations in how much they can help. The same is true about the help, which may be available to us.
Adequate medical facilities are great boons but do they ensure that we will not be disturbed by some disease or even the prospect of getting sickIJ Same is true about good health. Is good health permanentIJ What about ageing and facing its challengesIJ Some people take shelter in their work and hope to do so till the end of their lives. Does it always work out that wayIJ This is true for hobbies also but to a lesser extent.
Then, most of us take shelter in entertainment of some sort but do they manage to keep us happyIJ Comforts and facilities of all kinds are really welcome but at some point their limitations are exposed when the mind is disturbed. Owning a house is a desired objective of practically for all of us but like comforts and facilities, it fails to provide us real shelter.
Why our support systems insufficient as a shelter in the ultimate sense will be further clear as I detail what a real shelter should be like. It should be infallible, otherwise it will be like holding on to a flying object in a storm. Rather our shelter should be all-powerful, which can weather anything. It should be always available; occasional presence will not do. It should give us a sense of security, which all of us desperately need.
Our shelter must have unlimited options to help us; another entity cannot help us, who is in the ultimate sense helpless. Our shelter should be able to give us foolproof guidance. Rather it should be a real help to us in accomplishing our duties. You must have guessed by now to whom I am referring. Yes, our shelter has to be God only, who can ensure a lasting peace for us. Only he can give us the necessary inner strength in order that we can go through our lives in a confident manner. And, finally, God is the only one who can make sure that we lead a quality life.
If God can and is the only real shelter, then, why don’t we opt for himIJ Are we not intelligent enough to see this factIJ We are but we want to hold on to something which we can experience with our senses. In case of God, we have to practise what God expects from us and, then, realise his presence. This practice is tapasya, ie hard work, especially mentally. Therefore, we take the easier option and choose an insufficient shelter as our support system.
Surprisingly, unknown to many taking shelter of God is not that difficult. He only expects us to do all our duties, ie towards the soul, the intelligence, the mind and the body, and He gets satisfied. Because then we fit in his scheme of things, which is to see that there is order in the world. What do we get in return for doing our duties faithfullyIJ We can be sure about our future, and we can say goodbye to fears and anxieties.
Bishnoi is a spiritual writer and can be reached at spiritual@ajitbishnoi.com